


Magic Runs In The Family

by PhoenixstarKina



Series: Magic Siblings [1]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: ALL ABOARD THE ANGST CLAYPOLLO TRAIN, Azran Legacy Spoilers EVERYWHERE soon, F/F, F/M, Family Secrets, Gen, He's a great lawyer, He's a kid too, Hurt/Comfort, I'll add more as the fic grows, M/M, Magic, Polly cannot handle magic well, Slight PTSD warning, Slight Panic Attack, The Lawyer dads have adopted all the kids, but a bad magician, even Simon, everyone is in this fic, family fic, most of what goes wrong is because of him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7381435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixstarKina/pseuds/PhoenixstarKina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trucy isn't the only one with magic! Apollo finds that out the hard way. <br/>It could be fun though! Learning how to control this new magic with the help of his little sister. Really, it's harmless! What could go wrong?<br/>(In other words, a series of chapters/fics where magic is more diverse and Apollo figures out he's just as magical as Trucy is.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is what happens when me and Mel start talking about lawyer dads and magic siblings.  
> I get ideas to write out the magic siblings trying to get Apollo to control his magic.  
> (In other words, a slight AU where there’s a ton more magic than just what Trucy is shown doing. And magic is 100% real.)
> 
> But we talked about Apollo finding out he can use magic, which just went on from there.  
> And here I am writing it~
> 
> (AND I’M IGNORING AA6 FOR THE MOST PART. THERE ARE SOME THINGS (Maya’s outfit for one) THAT I AM NOT IGNORING.)  
> Because Maya will appear in this. No one is safe from the magic siblings. (Not even the overseas crew. AKA Franziska and the Professor Layton gang.)
> 
> Narumitsu is the only ship tagged for now, because it's the only one that appears this chapter! The rest are just friendships, but as soon as the relationships appear I'll be sure to tag them.

 

The first time it happens, Apollo doesn’t quite understand.

He was hiding away in the Chief Prosecutor’s office. Miles had offered the couch as a better alternative to get paperwork done than Apollo’s own desk at the Agency, where the paperwork had a habit of walking away.

He wished he did not mean that in a literal sense. But one could only watch the paper fold into an origami animal so many times before accepting the older lawyer’s offer.

So long as the paperwork wasn’t on a case they both worked on- which was a rarity- it was fine to work on it there. The offer had taken Apollo by surprise, seeming to come up out of nowhere one night when Trucy had dragged him to Phoenix’s apartment for a family night.

He wasn’t family, but Trucy hadn’t accepted no as a valid answer. In her defense, Apollo thought, he had become more closed off since their last big trial. Clay’s death had affected him worse than he originally suspected. So he had relented, letting Trucy lead him into the apartment where his mentor and mentor’s husband were arguing over something.

All Apollo had caught of that conversation was magic and witches. He tuned it out when Trucy began talking to him again.

The offer was made over dinner as Trucy told the story of the paperwork elephant. What was on the paper wasn’t all that important, but Apollo did not appreciate having to fill it out all over again. The Chief Prosecutor mentioned then that Apollo was free to come up to his office to finish paperwork if he wanted.

He didn’t quite understand why he was given the offer, but accepted it nonetheless.

Though, he was wished he hadn’t right then. The last case he had was hell; unreliable witnesses, a defendant who was having an affair with one of said witnesses- and _ongoing_ affair, as he and Blackquill found out the hard way while scouring the courthouse for the two, and a mentor who said it was perfectly acceptable to question another witnesses’ _dog_ , as they were at the crime scene as well.

Apollo pitied the boy they had to call up for that one. _It was what, 2 AM in London? What was Mr. Wright thinking?!_

To make matters worse, he was nursing a fairly large cut on his hand. Taka had taken it upon himself to try and stop Apollo’s questioning when he had picked up on a nervous tic and in a haste to cover his eyes, Taka had missed his mark and caught him on the back of the hand when Apollo had moved.

Blackquill had warned him time and again that Taka wouldn’t seriously hurt him on purpose. But what else was he supposed to do when a large bird of prey was coming right for his head?

Apollo grimaced at the bandages before staring once again at the disaster that was his report on the trial. Taka had disappeared from the courtroom after the altercation, and Apollo was wishing the report could do the same.

_Would it be terrible if I admitted that I wouldn’t mind Trucy using this as a prop for once?_ He wondered.

The door opening made both him and Edgeworth look up. “Herr Edgeworth…and Herr Forehead! What a _wunderbar_ surprise!” Klavier smiled, seeing the defense attorney curled up on the couch.

“Hello Prosecutor Gavin.” Apollo took this as his opportunity to get away from the dreaded report, putting it into the folder he had brought along and setting it on the table nearby.

“Was there something you needed?” Edgeworth asked, setting his own pen down.

“Ja, I was wondering if you had a copy of the Anderson trial reports. Fraulein Detective has…misplaced hers.”

“Ran out of Snackoos to pelt you with so she moved on to papers?” Apollo guessed, drumming his fingers on the folder.

Klavier looked away from the two lawyers. “Ah, you know how our dear detective can be…”

Edgeworth sighed, waving his hand to the bookshelf where a stack of folders sat. “It should be the third or fourth folder in the pile.”

“Danke.” Klavier looked through the folders, smiling as he found the right one. “What brings you here, Herr Forehead?”

“Peace and quiet,” Apollo admitted. “It’s nice to be able to work without worrying about paperwork turning into cranes or lions.”

With a chuckle, Klavier turned around to face Apollo. “Ah, Fraulein Magician has stepped up her act. I may have to learn a few new tricks myself to keep up with her performances.”

“Good luck. She’s learning way too quickly.” Apollo grimaced, thinking of her latest ‘trick that Papa and Daddy have banned’. “Unless you’re planning on making a guitar fly…” He trailed off, not wanting to give the rockstar any ideas.

“Nein, my guitars play no tricks.” The blonde sat down beside Apollo, picking up the folder to save it from Apollo’s drumming. “Which case are you writing on?”

“The Duval case.”

“Ah, the one Herr Samurai was complaining about.”

“There’s a ton to complain about!” Apollo shouted, quieting down as Edgeworth looked over to them. “First there’s Mrs. Duval. Who it turns out was having an affair with Ms. Hale, one of the witnesses.”

Klavier nodded, opening up the folder. “Ah, Herr Forehead?”

“And Hale was lying the entire time, even Prosecutor Blackquill could tell!” Apollo continued.

“Herr Forehead-“

“This then led to Mr. Wright interrupting with a new witness. Do you know who that witness was?”

“Apollo?”

“An old lady’s _dog_. He wanted me to cross examine a dog! Do I speak dog? No!”

“Apollo wha-“

“So then we have to make a call, all the way to _London._ Because Mr. Wright just happens to know someone who _can_ speak to dogs! And I feel sorry for the kid, it was like two in the morning!”

“Mr. Justice.”

“Yes?” Apollo finally stopped, looking over to Edgeworth, who nodded his head to the folder in Klavier’s hands.

The folder that was holding Apollo’s report, or rather, that was _supposed_ to be holding his report.

“Are you certain you didn’t just dream up writing that?” Klavier asked. “There is no report here.”

“What?! Where’d it go? I just had it!” Apollo took the folder, turning it over and looking on the floor around them. “Where is it?”

“He did begin writing it.” Edgeworth said. “I saw it, and heard it first-hand, from both Mr. Justice and Prosecutor Blackquill.”

Apollo groaned. He thought being out of the office would save him from Trucy’s tricks. _Though, I did get my wish. It’s a prop now._

Klavier helped him look around the Chief Prosecutor’s office, checking between folders, in books, even under the Steel Samurai figurine. Apollo muttered that they should be looking for a paper mouse instead, only to have Klavier laugh that they would need a paper cat to catch it.

A quick call to Phoenix later had Edgeworth telling the two that Trucy was currently at the Agency, so wherever the paper went, it was not her doing. “But then how did it disappear?”

“Perhaps some of her magic is working through you?” Klavier offered as explanation.

“I don’t think that’s how it works.”

After an hour, the two gave up, sitting back on the couch with twin sighs. “Guess I’ll just have to start over again.” Apollo grabbed the extra report sheet he had brought.

“Miles Edgeworth. I believe my niece is pulling pranks once again.”

The female voice had Apollo looking towards the door. Franziska had come from Germany a few days ago to assist with a complicated case. She was standing in the doorway, glaring towards Edgeworth.

“Little brother, perhaps you could tell her once again that reports are to be turned in neatly and in one piece?”

“Trucy hasn’t been here all day Franziska.” Edgeworth sighed. “What report are you talking about?”

“If I am correct about the handwriting, it belongs to one of Phoenix Wright’s foolish employees.”

“Huh?” Apollo and Klavier looked at the paper in Franziska’s hand.

Apollo’s eyes widened in shock, Klavier mimicking his expression.

“Herr Forehead, I believe we have found your paper mouse.”

 

* * *

 

“How could this happen?!”

Trucy looked up from her homework as Apollo stormed into the Agency. “What happened Polly?”

“You! I think? I don’t know!” He fell onto the couch beside her as Athena looked up from her spot on the floor.

“Trucy? But she’s been here all day!” She protested.

“I know!” Apollo reached into his pocket, pulling out the report-turned-mouse. “But how else can I explain this?!”

“Woah! It’s a mouse? I can never get them right!” Trucy took the paper, looking it over. “Polly this is so cool! Why didn’t you tell me you could do origami?”

“I can’t Trucy! What did _you_ do it? One second it’s sitting in a folder as a report sheet, the next it’s is Ms. Von Karma’s office as a mouse!”

Apollo, Klavier, Edgeworth, and Franziska had puzzled over how it could have happened; each one growing suspicious that Trucy had done something to it. But she had been nowhere near Apollo or the paper all day. He had worked the case without help, Phoenix and Athena having their own cases to work on and Trucy choosing to help Phoenix, meaning he had been the only one to ever touch the paper.

“Me? I haven’t seen you all day!”

“That never stops you when it comes to our badges! I was gone a week and somehow came back with Klavier’s badge instead of my own!”

Trucy pouted. “I swear Polly! It wasn’t me!”

“What wasn’t you?”

“Daddy!” Trucy whipped her head around to look at Phoenix. “You tell him! I’ve been with you all day haven’t I?”

“Is this about that?” Phoenix pointed to the mouse. “It’s true Apollo, Trucy’s been with me. And she’s cut back on the magic today because some of the evidence we were around was fragile. We didn’t need it breaking or going missing.”

Apollo threw his hands in the air. “Then I guess a spirit must’ve taken it and turned it into origami!”

Phoenix chuckled. “As possible as it sounds, I doubt Mia would do that.”

“Clay might…” Apollo mumbled. “Great, so besides imagines I can’t wait to bleach out of my brain, and scratches on my hand that make Mekiko’s playtime look completely tame, I gotta deal with my best friend’s ghost messing up paperwork now?”

“Nah, I would’ve noticed if it was a ghost.” Phoenix waved his hand dismissively. “That spirit training Maya put me through’s good for something you know!”

Apollo groaned, picking back up the mouse and drumming his fingers along its back. “Then someone else at the Prosecutor’s Office is a magician?”

Trucy gasped. “Someone knows my tricks then! They’ve been spying on me!”

“Maybe it was Klavier?” Athena laughed. “I mean, you are competition in the performing world.”

With a sigh, Apollo sat back, throwing his arms over his eyes. “Klavier was the last to touch the folder I put it in.”

The three continued to toss theories back and forth, ignoring how Phoenix’s eyes grew wide as he looked at Apollo. “Apollo, I have to object here. I don’t think Klavier was the one to make your report disappear.”

“What are you talking about now Mr. Wright?”

“Well, where’s your mouse at now?”

“Huh?” Apollo opened his eyes, looking at his hands. “What?! Trucy! Again?!”

Trucy glared at him. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t touch the mouse!”

“No,” Phoenix interrupted, hoping to stop a fight before one began, “but someone did touch it.”

Apollo looked confused for a second. “But…I was the only one to touch it…”

He was certain the mouse had been in his hands a few seconds ago. He had-

…he had drummed on it. Just as he had the folder before Klavier picked it up.

No. It wasn’t possible. There was no way he could have done it. It was just a coincidence.

Wasn’t it?

_Evidence is everything…_ Apollo looked at the stack of cards Trucy had on the desk. He picked it up as the other three searched for the missing mouse. Looking through it, he found a card. Keeping it in mind, he put it back in the deck, drumming on it for a few seconds. _It’ll still be there. I’m just crazy. Or Mr. Wright’s crazy, he was the one to think of this first._

He spread the deck out on the table, going through each card and growing more and more anxious as he began to reach the top of the deck.

His card was missing.

The card Apollo picked out was nowhere to be found. _But how?! It was here! I know it! It was between the seven of hearts and queen of aces!_

“M-Mr. Wright…” Apollo stared at the deck, still hoping that somehow he had just skipped over his card. Maybe he put it somewhere else in the deck, or it had fallen out. “I…”

“Hey, how did this get here?” Trucy reached up to the top corner of one of the tall boxes.

In her hand was a card.

“Trucy…it’s the ace of spades, isn’t it?” Apollo asked without looking.

“How did you know Polly?”

“I think I put it there. Somehow, I’m not sure…”

Phoenix paused, looking up from where he was searching under the piano for the mouse. “You think you put it there?”

“I memorized that card, put it in the deck, and tapped it like I did the paper…and it was gone.”

Trucy gasped, dropping the card to the floor. “Polly! You can do magic too!? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know…I can’t do magic! How can I? I’m not a magician!” Apollo leapt to his feet. “It’s impossible! I’ve never learned it! You said it yourself Trucy, a magician never reveals their secrets. So how would I know how to do that?! You never showed me that trick!”

“Polly _I_ don’t know that trick! I can’t make a card disappear from a deck and end up across the room! You know that!”

Apollo backed away from the table, a horrified look on his face. Of all the times his bracelet decides to not work, it chooses then to say that Trucy is being completely truthful? “But…h-how? I can’t do magic!”

“It appears you can.” Phoenix approached Apollo slowly. “It’s alright.”

“How can you say that?” He looked at Phoenix, his breath coming in sharp, short gasps. “I…Magic? I can’t!”

“You can.”

“No! It’s impossible! There’s no way I can be a magician! It’s it passed down through families or something?”

Phoenix grimaced, pausing a few steps away from Apollo. “I’m not quite sure that’s how it’s done. Everything Trucy knows she was taught.”

“But it works because her _father_ taught her! Her biological one! You know, the father that knows magic?”

His boss seemed to hesitate before turning to Athena. “Athena, I think I forgot something at the Prosecutor’s Office the last time I was there, could you go and get it?”

The tightening of his bracelet didn’t help Apollo as Athena simply nodded before leaving. She gave him a comforting smile as she did, but a constant, low sound from Widget made Apollo realize his mood wasn’t just affecting himself.

Apollo wasn’t sure what it was that Phoenix was going to say, but something in his mind said it was huge, and he wasn’t going to like it.


	2. Bratty Polly and Patient Papa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter: Apollo didn’t like what Phoenix had to say and is being an absolute brat, so Edgeworth to the rescue!
> 
> The papa birb needs to have a little chat with his adopted angry birb son. Who doesn’t quite realize he’s been adopted yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: SLIGHT PTSD WARNING. Poor Apollo, I just can’t let him catch a break can I? He has a mild panic attack in the beginning here, and it’s brought up later on as well.
> 
> Phoenix and Miles are married. But Phoenix still has an apartment. It was a mistake, but it makes sense too. Any case Miles takes he likes it to be against either Athena or Apollo because they’re at least competent enough to work with the prosecution to find the truth (plus he can’t exactly face off against Phoenix anymore.). And those two spend a TON of time with Phoenix, but if they’re working on a case against Miles they can’t exactly hang out around the papa birb now can they? The apartment really serves as a safe place too)

The second time he uses magic, it has quite the effect.

It wasn’t until Apollo was changing the bandage on his hand two weeks later that what he had done fully sunk in.

Once again, he had punched Phoenix Wright. Only this time was a tad more explosive.

The firecrackers going off were his doing somehow. As soon as his fist connected with Wright’s nose, the crackling of them began and suddenly he wasn’t standing in front of Wright and Trucy, but in the courtroom.

The deafening white noise was back. A constant stream of ringing that wouldn’t leave his ears no matter what.

His hand was shaking as he dropped the bandage. Apollo tried closing his eyes but that only brought both the courtroom and the talk with Wright to the front of his mind.

_“Apollo, it’s completely possible that you’re doing the same magic Trucy can.”_

_“How can he daddy?”_

_“Lamiroir- no, Thalassa… She asked me not to tell you, but given the circumstances. I don’t see any other option.”_

_“Mr. Wright, tell us what?”_

Apollo glared at the floor where the pure white bandage seemed to glare right back. It mocked him as his arms trembled slightly.

 _“Truce, Apollo, your birth names are Trucy Gramarye and Apollo Gramarye. Thalassa is your mother, though you have different fathers.”_  
  
Apollo crouched down, picking up the bandage with now shaking hands. _No. My name is Apollo Justice. My parents died in a fire when I was barely one. They didn’t just disappear and leave me…I don’t…_

He couldn’t bring himself to finish the thought. ‘I don’t have a sister’. As much as he wanted everything Wright told him to be a lie, he couldn’t help but hope part of it was the truth.

He had seen the shock on Trucy’s face when Wright told them. She was just as clueless as he was, except maybe for her birth name. She was older when she was adopted, of course she’d remember it.

But Apollo…

The lawyer had no memories of any other name. He had remained at the orphanage without a last name for the longest time, until he had decided on one for himself. Sure, it had gotten him mocked from time to time. But Clay had stood by him through it all.

 _Clay…_ Adjusting the bandage, Apollo wondered what his friend would have to say about all this. Probably that it was cool, that he was happy Apollo had found that he had family after all. What would he have thought of Trucy?

Apollo felt the tears coming. Clay would have loved Trucy like she was his own sister. He would have hugged her as she cried over the truth. Cried about having family she was related to still, cried about being abandoned by her- _their-_ mother. Clay would have tried to help defuse the situation.

He would have listened to Apollo rant about it. How it wasn’t fair, how all he wanted was a family _Clay knew that_.

And yet here Apollo was. With no best friend, tears falling onto his hands as he listened to his phone ring for the thousandth time that month. He gave up looking to see who it was, he knew who it was. It was Trucy, or her father, or Klavier, Athena, he even had a message on there from _Blackquill_.

He wondered though, just how many of them knew the truth before he did. Klavier had been on good speaking terms with Lamiroir, had she told him? Would Wright have told Athena?

 _He would have told Prosecutor Edgeworth._ Apollo wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Of course, the Chief Prosecutor would have known. He probably knew who Apollo’s real father was, it was probably in a file hidden away somewhere out of his reach.

 _No. Not my real father._ He repeated to himself that his parents were dead. It did not matter what Lamiroir told Wright.

As far as Apollo was concerned, his parents died a long time ago. The only thing he had to remind himself that he ever had parents was his bracelet.

The bracelet currently sitting on his bed, untouched for a solid week after realizing Lamiroir wore the matching one.

Like he needed another reminder of their betrayal.

He sat with his back to the kitchen cupboard as he waited for his hands to stop shaking. It happened from time to time, the doctor had mentioned something about nerves being damaged from the bomb the last time he went.

_“Apollo, take it easy! It’ll take some time for you to be back to your old self kid. Don’t rush it.”_

Shaking his head, Apollo tried to get Wright’s voice out of his ears. He had no right to worry over Apollo like that, like his father. He wasn’t, a real father would’ve told him the truth.

Wouldn’t they?

 _Well, what would I know?_ He thought. _I don’t have one._

 _You could._ A small part of him was still warmed at the reminder that Phoenix had fussed over him after the trial just as much as he did Trucy. How Phoenix had put him on desk duty, where the only thing he was lifting was a pen or some papers and he wasn’t out running around after leads for cases.

Phoenix had kept an eye on him. Letting Apollo stay with him and Trucy on the days where he was fine in the morning, but grew exhausted as the day passed. Reminding Apollo to get something to eat, and keeping him far away from the saltiest noodles in LA.

It wasn’t just Phoenix keeping an eye on him; somehow the Chief Prosecutor had been roped into it as well. Visits to the Agency began to include Apollo in conversations. Phoenix talked about his accomplishments to Edgeworth as proudly as he did Trucy’s, and Edgeworth responded with almost as much pride.

Apollo shook his head. _No._ They did that with Athena too, and Klavier and Blackquill. It wasn’t anything special.

The next time his phone rang, he was tempted to grab it and toss it across the room. Couldn’t Wright take a hint? If he didn’t answer the first four days of calls, why would he now? Mekiko seemed to take the hint, batting at his phone. It stopped after the first two rings.

Apollo pulled his legs closer to his chest before resting his forehead on his knees. Without the phone, the piercing ringing was returning. He tried to keep his breath steady but it was becoming harder to the tighter his chest got.

Fear ran through his mind, making him lightheaded. The lawyer was glad he was already sitting down, had he been standing he would have fallen to his knees by now.

A different sound began to chime in his apartment, a loud purr, from Mekiko. She was pacing around him, eyes locked on his figure as her tail twitched almost worriedly. He tried to smile, to reach out to pet her. Wanting to be rid of the memories, he carded his hand through her long fur, a small huff of laugher escaping as she twisted her head every which way to try and lick at his hand.

 _You didn’t know, did you?_ Of course she didn’t. Mekiko only knew that he fed and took care of her; she didn’t care about much else. Though, she did know if he wasn’t feeling fine then nothing else was fine. Apollo was grateful that she understood at least that much.

There was only so much she could do to help him though. It’s not like she could hug him, and tell him everything was going to be ok.

_“Shh, Apollo it’s ok. It’s alright, you’re ok. You’re safe.”_

Apollo pulled his hand away from Mekiko as he thought back to a few months ago. July had been hell at the agency. Fireworks had been banned from ever coming near the building; Trucy’s firecrackers for her show were given special privileges as Phoenix told her she couldn’t practice with them indoors. But it wasn’t as if they could ban the entire city from having them.

 _Athena would flinch every time one went off, her hands automatically moving the adjust headphones that weren’t there. Trucy would stop whatever she was doing to glace towards the window before continuing on. And Apollo tried his best to ignore it, to shut it out with a constant mental chant of_ I’m fine _. But it could only work for so long._

_And Phoenix… he was there for them. Handing an old music player to Athena, saying the music on it usually helps pass the time while writing reports and waiting for clients, giving Trucy a kiss on her forehead with a small reassuring smile._

_Apollo had given up trying to block out the loud fireworks with just his chanting. His hands were over his ears and he was trying his hardest not to cry. He couldn’t, not in front of Athena and Trucy._

_An arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him in close and pressing one ear against a broader chest. Another hand came up to cover his other ear. He could feel Phoenix sigh better than he could hear it._

_“Guess July just isn’t anyone’s month, huh? Between the noise and the lights, maybe we should start planning trips to visit Maya in July. Or Franziska, I’m sure she’d love a chance to try and corrupt you and Athena into being prosecutors.” Phoenix joked, picking up the paper Apollo had been working on with his free hand._

_Apollo could feel the man tense whenever one would go off close to the agency. He recovered just as quickly, but the younger DA knew Phoenix was just about as sensitive as everyone else there to them. Yet he pushed it aside to make sure the three of them were alright._

He frowned. Of all the memories he had, that one had to be the one to pop into his mind. It was so confusing, having good memories of Phoenix tarnished because of a secret.

 _He knew then._ Apollo thought. Of course he did. Wright had admitted that Lamiroir told him after the trial.

But he hadn’t treated Apollo any differently really. He still made him work hard, even without a case to focus their attention on. Phoenix would give him chores to do, and Apollo would snip back that Phoenix had studying to do, way more important than trying to act like Apollo was a child with a chore chart.

The more Apollo thought about it, things were different though. It was peaceful, compared to his last mentor.

 _Did Mr. Gavin know?_ His mind drifted to the cold, calculating gaze of his first employer.

Was that why he took on Apollo? Still so young, barely through his first year of college, yet enough to catch the attention of one of LA’s greatest? Apollo couldn’t help but think it was all out of spite, just one more way to get back at Zak Gramarye. If Wright’s words were true, and if Kristoph did know, what better way to get back at the man’s family, then to turn his wife’s eldest son against them?

 _Impossible._ He couldn’t have known.

But Wright did. And he said nothing. He kept the truth to himself; let things go on for almost two and a half years as they were. Two and half years that he could have told them. Things would have been different, but a good different. He and Trucy were siblings, they were _family_. He-

He finally did what he wanted, tossing his phone at the wall as it began to ring once more. Apollo didn’t care who it was. His thoughts had just made the anger he felt grow again, the tears in his eyes weren’t from sadness anymore. The sharp _crack_ of his screen breaking as it hit the corner of the wall hadn’t fazed him, though it sent Mekiko running.

At least, he thought it was the phone that had sent his cat off. The sudden appearances of shoes beside his now broken phone made Apollo look up from the sorry state he had left the electronic device in.

It was the last person he expected to see, especially given the locked state that his door had been in. The presence of a bobby pin in the Chief Prosecutor’s hand was enough of an explanation to say his door was no longer locked.

“I highly doubt your phone has done anything to earn you anger.” Edgeworth said, bending down to pick up and pocket Apollo’s phone before walking over to the boy.

Apollo glared up at him, refusing to respond. _He knew. He had to, there’s no way Wright could keep it a secret from him._

“And here I thought you’d outgrown the silent treatment.” Edgeworth shook his head. “Just as bad as Wright…” He looked over Apollo.

The younger knew he must look a mess. He hadn’t fixed his hair, leaving it down and out of the gel he usually used. He traded the usual outfit for a pair of jeans and a red button-down shirt.

His eyes flashed a familiar red as his glare hardened. Edgeworth hadn’t moved a muscle when he mentioned Wright, leading Apollo to believe the prosecutor had come on his own without informing his husband.

“You know, the last time someone went off the radar for longer than a few days, they had the courtesy to leave a note.” Apollo didn’t care for being courteous right then. “A suicide note, but a note nonetheless.” Well, he hadn’t planned on taking that route. Just taking some time alone so he wouldn’t be the next out of their group to be arrested for attempted murder.

He opened his mouth, ready to give an angry speech about breaking and entering, when he suddenly wasn’t on the floor anymore. Apollo yelped as he was picked up and tossed over Edgeworth’s shoulder. His first thought had been to ask _how_ the Chief Prosecutor was able to pick him up so effortlessly.

The next thought was to hit him. “L-let me go!”

Edgeworth didn’t reply, carrying him out of the apartment- making sure to lock the door before shutting it again- and reaching into his pocket for what Apollo assumed were car keys.

“Put me down!” He yelled again, hitting Edgeworth on the back again. “Now!”

He squirmed, trying to get out of Edgeworth’s grip. But the man was stronger than he looked. For once, Apollo cursed having an apartment on ground level. There was no way Edgeworth, no matter how strong he was, could carry Apollo down stairs. And the elevator was out of the question.

The entire way out of the building, Apollo continued to squirm and yell. Maybe someone would hear and help him.

On second thought, he paled slightly; did he want anyone else to see him being carried out like a child by the “Demon Prosecutor”?

“Are you finished?” He didn’t realize they had already made it outside. It was dark and Apollo assumed it was nearing eleven at night.

The Chief Prosecutor had nothing better to do with his life on a Thursday night than to break into Apollo’s apartment and kidnap him, he had a hard time believing that.

He decided once again to not reply verbally, hitting his kidnapper one last time on the back in protest.

A car door was opened before Apollo was set down. He planned to run, but Edgeworth’s stare stopped him. His only option was to get in the car.

 _Most movies that have these situations don’t end well._ The door wasn’t shut until he had the seatbelt on, and trying to open it proved a fruitless endeavor. _Stupid foreign car! Who puts child safety locks on the front doors?!_

With his arms crossed, Apollo stared out the window. He refused to look over at Edgeworth as the man got in the car and started it. “I expected this from Trucy,” was the first thing Edgeworth said as they drove away from the building. “She stopped after a day.”

“Good for her.” Apollo shot back, keeping his eyes on the window.

“Apollo…I understand you’re angry-“

“Angry? No. I passed angry a week ago.” Furious, pissed, seething, there were many words to describe how he felt. “You knew?”

He could almost hear the hesitation. “I…suspected Phoenix was keeping something from the two of you. I hadn’t known for certain until last year, at the Halloween party.”

Last year, Apollo could never forget that. It taught him to never take a bet with Trucy unless he was certain to win. He had dressed up that year, as a _magician_ of all things. All because Klavier just had to win that trial.

That wasn’t what stood out. Wright had somehow managed to convince Lamiroir to show up at the party. She had seemed surprised to see Apollo and Trucy, especially in matching costumes- Trucy insisted that she wanted to stay in her performance outfit and use it as her costume so they would match- and thinking back, she had seemed off. His bracelet hadn’t detected any lies, but her entire demeanor around them had changed since the trial.

 _Did Phoenix try and get her to tell us?_ Apollo let his head rest against the window.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” He growled.

“I did, though it seems I spoke to the wrong person.” Edgeworth took his eyes off the road for a second to look at Apollo as they stopped for a red light. “I told Phoenix he needed to tell you both the truth.”

“And he waited another year to do so!” Apollo finally turned, glaring once more at Edgeworth. “He should’ve told us sooner!”

If the volume of his yelling affected Edgeworth, he was careful not to show it. “You’re right.”

That caught him off guard. He had expected an entire speech on how Apollo was being ridiculous, how he needed to stop being such a brat and get over it. Not for Edgeworth to _agree_ with him. “What?”

“Phoenix should have told the two of you the truth far sooner than he had, or at least convinced Thalassa to. It was unfair to keep you in the dark about something like this.”

As they continued to drive, Apollo was worried for a moment that they would go to the Agency. He wasn’t quite ready to face Wright yet. But Edgeworth kept driving away from the agency and away from any familiar roads.

“You’re right to be angry at him for it. However,”

_I knew it. Here comes the scolding._

“He was simply following your mother’s wishes-”

Apollo snorted. “Sure. And she’s not my mother.”

“She is. And while I’m not certain as to why she’s kept this from you-“

“If you say it must be a good reason I can’t guarantee your nose won’t end up looking like Wright’s.”

“If you would stop interrupting, you would know what I am going to say.”

It didn’t take long for Apollo to figure out where it was they were going. He knew Edgeworth’s house. Trucy had drug him there before when she needed an assistant in getting him and Wright to agree to her going on a school field trip out of state.

In his defense, there really was no evidence as to why she couldn’t go. It was to an aviary. So, naturally, all she had to do was mention in passing that they needed chaperones, and she killed two birds with one stone. Going on the trip and getting to know Blackquill better.

Apollo had little choice but to follow Edgeworth out of the car and into the house. Pess greeted with a soft, sleepy whine as they passed her in the living room to head into the kitchen. He listened closely, trying to tell if Wright and Trucy were there too.

“I told Phoenix that I wanted to talk to you without his interference.” Apollo turned his attention back to Edgeworth, who was holding out a cup of tea to him. “And Trucy is spending the night with Athena.”

Apollo accepted the cup slowly, thankful that his hands seemed to be cooperating. It was warm, a contrast from the slight chill outside. The tea inside the cup was clouded from cream and sugar, just how Apollo always made it for himself whenever tea was the only option at the agency.

 _He knew..?_ Staring at it for a moment longer before taking a sip, he realized it was exactly how he always made it.

“What did you want to talk about?” He asked as Edgeworth led him back into the living room. Apollo sat down in one of the chairs as the prosecutor sat on the corner of the couch nearest him.

“How you were handling things, which from what I could see was not very well.” Edgeworth frowned. “Why haven’t you been answering your cell?”

“I didn’t want to hear what he had to say.” Apollo muttered. “And everyone else would just tell me to call him.”

“Who?”

“Wright! Who else?”

Edgeworth hummed. Apollo sat the cup down and sank back in the chair. It was far more comfy than his kitchen floor. “Whatever he has to say can wait two and a half years…”

“I was wrong; you’re not like your father. You’re like your aunt. The last secret I kept from her she held over my head for ten years.”

With a grimace, Apollo replied; “He’s not my father.”

“He sure seems to act as if he is.” Setting his own cup down, Edgeworth leaned forward to rest his arms on his legs. “He’s as worried as a proper father would be if a child went missing for two weeks.”

He continued before Apollo could interrupt. “I’m not taking either side in this argument Apollo. I understand both of you, why you’re angry and why he kept it secret. However, you seem to be under the impression that it was just Phoenix’s doing.”

“Wasn’t it? He’s the one who knew, and should’ve told me and Trucy.”

“It was not his secret to tell.” Edgeworth said. “Put yourself in his position Apollo. What would you do?”

 _Not hide it for so long._ Was his first thought, but as he continued thinking over the question, he grew unsure.

If he had been in Wright’s position, with a daughter and employee/apprentice/somewhat son, and was told they were siblings by their mother, but asked to hide it? How could he?

With everything that had happened in those years though, Apollo had begun to realize he could.  When would be the proper time? As soon as he was told, when they were celebrating a victory and he had just been entrusted with the secret wasn’t the right time. The Halloween party, where they were all so happy, where Phoenix tried to get her to tell them, it didn’t work out. The Phantom, the bomb, Clay’s death…

Apollo realized there _hadn’t_ been a right time.

He brought his knees up to his chest again, circling his arms around his legs. Of course Phoenix would choose _then_ to tell him. Apollo had used _magic_ , something he always associated with Trucy, never himself. He was scared and wanted an explanation.

It wasn’t Phoenix’s fault Apollo had reacted badly to the news.

Tears welled up in his eyes again. “I’m so stupid…” Two weeks he had ignored them. He probably scared them all with the complete silence. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Come here.” Edgeworth patted the couch cushion beside him and Apollo wasted no time in curling up against his side. “Figure it out?” He asked, wrapping an arm around Apollo as the boy shook from holding back sobs.

Apollo nodded slowly, wiping at his eyes with one hand. He felt terrible, and probably looked even worse with his eyes red from the tears now. The bracelet missing from his arm became more apparent and he thought for a second that Edgeworth could have used that against him, tried to lie to him while it would be hard to Apollo to detect.

But something told him that the man had been completely honest the entire time. There was nothing truly to gain from lying.

He did miss the bracelet’s comforting weight though.

There wasn’t much time for him to miss it. He was exhausted, and the comforting hand rubbing up and down his arm was only helping to lull him to sleep.

Apollo leaned further into Edgeworth’s side, his eyes falling shut. “I’m sorry…papa…” He whispered as he drifted off to sleep.

Edgeworth paused in shock as he looked down to Apollo, hearing what he had said before falling asleep. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He said.

A glittering pattern on Apollo’s wrist caught his attention.

It was the bracelet that Edgeworth swore hadn’t been there before.

“So. Phoenix was right then.” He muttered. “You are using magic like your sister.”

Apollo slept on, unaware of Edgeworth’s musings. With the bracelet on his wrist once more, he seemed to fall into a much more peaceful slumber. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *kicks ending* I wasn’t quite sure how to end things, but I think that’s good. I could’ve had Edgeworth calling up Phoenix and saying Polly was ok…but nah.
> 
> And sleepy Apollo is more than willing to acknowledge that he’s been adopted and has two dads now.
> 
> AND I’M IGNORING A SPECIFIC PART OF AA6. For those of you do not know the spoilers, don’t worry about it. Those of you who do know, I am modifying that story somewhat. IT WON’T HAVE ANY EFFECT UNTIL LATER. I don’t plan on posting anything containing AA6 spoilers until after the September release in the States.
> 
> Until then, I have plenty ready for this series. The next chapter is gonna be the one that started all of this. And the one after that will probably be backstory stuff.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apollo experiments with more magic! The plot progresses! Clay and Apollo's past is expanded! And Miles Edgeworth...might choose death again after this is all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE IT IS! The Chapter that started this series! You have no clue how much I wanted to write this one. But I wanted to do the first two chapters first.  
> IN THIS CHAPTER: Apollo’s feeling better and Trucy decides to mentor him in all things magic. What could go wrong? There’s a lot that can go wrong when Apollo’s mind drifts to sadder things.  
> (In other words, I’m tagging past-Claypollo. Because it’s the angst ship I love.)  
> (Also, here soon we’re gonna be seeing the awesome duo, Sebastian and Kay! I’m doing a rp with a friend and I play both of them, and it’s actually really fun! Not so much for Klavier though, who had them both with him in court. But I really like Sebastian.  
> Aaaaaand I have zero idea how some investigating works. So creative liberties are used, and I’m sorry if it’s way off the mark.  
> For those of you who have read my Free! Story, you know I have limited knowledge of the German language. So when I use it, if it’s the completely wrong thing or worded wrong, TELL ME PLEASE. I’m still learning and any and all help is appreciated.)  
> AND I GOOFED UP. IN THE FIRST CHAPTER I PUT ‘QUEEN OF ACES’ AS A CARD. I MEANT QUEEN OF HEARTS.

The third time Apollo consciously uses magic, it has very interesting results.

 

“No Polly! Not like that.” Trucy sighed, sitting down on the couch. “Maybe we should start with card tricks?”

It had been three weeks since Apollo had tentatively made his way back to the WAA. Edgeworth had led him in to a frantically pacing Phoenix, who trapped Apollo in a hug and refused to let go for the better part of a day. The smaller man had complained at first, but then resigned himself to his fate and squirmed in the tight hold until he could get comfortable.

If only he could have found a way to make Athena’s phone disappear that day. Three weeks later and he _still_ hasn’t heard the end of it from Klavier, who had been one of the recipients of her picture texts.

Then there was the problem of Apollo’s own phone. The screen was damaged beyond repair and now was a part of Trucy’s magic act. Phoenix had declared Apollo couldn’t go without a phone, and Apollo felt a twinge of guilt that he was only so adamant about it because it was one less way for him to stay in touch with the others.

So a new one was ordered behind Apollo’s back. He had only been informed of it the day after the fact when Edgeworth had passed him in the courthouse and mentioned it. He had no clue what sort of phone it was, or the price for that matter.

But knowing the two lawyers behind the scheme, it was something practical, but also a ways out of his paycheck’s reach.

“Perhaps try the magic panties trick aga-“

“NO!” Apollo shrieked. “No panties!”

That earned a quizzical look from Athena, who was borrowing Apollo’s desk as she sorted through evidence for her latest case. “What do you have against panties?”

“It’s a long story.” Apollo sighed. He could go his entire life without ever retelling or reliving that story. “Maybe I’m not cut out for more tricks.” So far he had turned paperwork into origami, made things disappear, made things explode, and made things reappear. He practiced the second and third trick enough that he felt he had a good grip on things.

Phoenix had put a ban on exploding magic though, after a file of important cases had gone up in flames. In Apollo’s defense, he had no idea how it happened. Trucy gave the explanation that it was probably because of stress that the magic had reacted.

He felt like a character in one of the books Clay loved. Apollo wasn’t a huge Harry Potter fan, but he had read the books and seen the movies- only for Clay would he sit through an all-day marathon in a theater full of people and his bracelet threatening to detach his wrist from his arm- so he knew how their magic worked.

“It couldn’t be more different Polly!” Trucy had exclaimed when Apollo mentioned the comparison. “We don’t need a wand for starters!”

Not for the first time, Apollo wondered what Clay would think of all this. No doubt he would say that it was amazing. Magic wasn’t his most favorite thing in the entire world, but it was just below space and Apollo himself. He would beg Apollo to do tricks, and give Clay a chance to guess how they were done.

Apollo would reply that it was simply magic. He couldn’t explain it. Clay would give him a smile that softened the more he looked at Apollo, before drawing him in for a short but sweet kiss.

But that couldn’t happen. Not now, and not ever.

“Don’t say that Polly! You just gotta practice!” Trucy smiled widely. “You’re just starting out. I’ve been doing this stuff for _years_. Which is why I’m going to teach you everything about magic, and the first thing I taught you?”

“Stay focused to keep the damage you can do at a minimum.” Apollo said absentmindedly, twisting the ring on his left ring finger around. Trucy frowned at the movement, and Athena gave him a sad glance. They knew what the ring was.

A simple gold band with a ruby and moonstone similar to Athena’s earring cast into it. There was a matching one, buried with Clay. They had been found with the rest of Clay’s things at the Space Center. And while most of the items went back to Clay’s family, Ema, who had taken over as lead detective once the Phantom had been discovered, found the rings while searching for anything that could be used in the case. And in a magic trick of her own, made sure the rings found their way to Phoenix and Edgeworth, who in turn gave them to Apollo.

He had broken down then, a mess of sobs and cries and screams. It left him hoarse, and left his parents- he guessed it was the easiest way to explain Phoenix and Edgeworth now- to call in a doctor when his voice hadn’t gotten better.

Those weeks of silence after the Phantom trial were hell.

Athena frowned, hearing the pain in Apollo’s heart. “Hey, how about a break? I got some files that need to go to the Prosecutor’s Office, wanna come with Pollo?” She didn’t wait for his answer, herding him towards the door and out into the busy world.

“Sorry Athena, guess I’m a bit too loud today?” He frowned.

“It’s nothing! Really!” She reassured him. “You’re allowed to grieve. Don’t worry about me. I’m not expecting you to be happy all the time.” Athena smiled.

“Just be you!” Widget blurted out.

Apollo gave her a sad smile before turning in the right direction for the Prosecutor’s Office. “Come on, we won’t get anything done just standing around here.”

 

* * *

 

 

What was supposed to be a short trip to the Prosecutor’s Office, turned into one long game of hide-and-seek.

Athena’s files were supposed to go to Edgeworth, who wasn’t in his office and directed that all files be left with Prosecutor Debeste. But when the two looked for Sebastian, they found that he had been called down to the Police Department in Edgeworth’s place to help Kay with something.

Edgeworth’s secretary then told them to try Prosecutor Gavin’s office, only for them to be turned away by Ema, who was scolding Klavier for something and pelting him with Snackoos. He looked at the two Defense Attorneys for help, only for Ema to slam the door on them.

“I’m just gonna give these to Simon before we’re directed to one of the Paynes…” Athena sighed, moving her hands from her ears. “I wonder what Klavier did to deserve that anger.”

Apollo adjusted his grip on the files before shrugging. “Knowing Ema it could be something as simple as insulting her snacks.” Apollo had learned a while ago that saying anything against Ema’s food choices was a terrible idea. No one was safe from that rule, not even Phoenix and Edgeworth, who she had pelted with the things more times than anyone else.

Athena sighed again, taking the folders from Apollo. “Come on, I’m sure Taka will be glad to see you.”

He couldn’t help but groan at that. “On second thought, maybe I should wait here for Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth.”

“What, you think _papa_ can save you from the big bad birdie?” Athena teased.

“Oh like you’ve never called him that!” Apollo protested with a glare. “I slip up _one time_ and you and Trucy refuse to leave it alone. At least I don’t call Mr. Wright _daddy_.”

“Well it would get confusing, calling him and the Chief Prosecutor the same thing.” Athena pointed out. “And you call him dad.”

“ _Once!_ ” Athena flinched at the loud outburst.

“Liar liar!” Widget supplied.

“More than once,” Athena grinned, “face it Polly, if we were any younger they would’ve signed adoption papers for us years ago.”

Apollo looked down at the floor. Years ago, his heart would’ve leapt out of his chest at that. But once he hit eighteen, he gave that dream up and threw himself into law school.

He didn’t allow himself to think of what happened during and directly after that.

“I think we’ve all slipped up at some point.” Athena continued as they headed for Blackquill’s office. “Well, all of us except Simon. They have a hard enough time getting him to call them anything without ‘-dono’ at the end.”

“I doubt Prosecutor Gavin’s ever slipped up.” Apollo added.

“Objection!” Athena smiled. “I got to witness him calling the Chief Prosecutor _Vater_ on more than one occasion. And remember when he fell from the support beam on the Harrison trial?”

Apollo wished he could forget that trial. It was a high profile case, an actor in an upcoming move had been murdered and Phoenix had taken the case. Blackquill was the prosecutor, but Edgeworth had come on as co-council due to just how much evidence and how many contradicting statements were being said.

It was the only case in years to break the “three day” rule, eventually turning to the still new Jurist System. Most other cases were put on hold for the trial, so that both the defense and prosecution could have a full team working to find out the truth. Phoenix had even called Maya down to assist.

Day four had been the mad scramble for key evidence that was missing. Apollo, Klavier, and Maya had gone to retrieve it, only to find its location was in a less than perfect building. The director of the film had told them it was a prop house, typically used for when they needed to destroy rooms in a fight scene or for horror films.

The evidence, which was a necklace given to the actor by his mother-in-law before the woman’s passing, was found hanging in the rafters. Klavier had offered to go up, being the lightest out of the three. Unfortunately, the director had forgotten that the house had been used in a scene only a few hours prior, and the repairs hadn’t had time to set correctly.

Klavier’s fall had scared the three- four, Apollo corrected, remembering the quick Channeling Maya had done- of them more than it had hurt anyone. But it was enough to get Klavier to panic, calling for Edgeworth and using the German term Athena had brought up. He had called for Phoenix too, in English, and Mia had been the one to comfort him until the two lawyers could get there.

They were scratched up, but nothing too terrible.

Apollo pointedly ignored the fact that he had called for Edgeworth and Phoenix much the same way Klavier had once everything settled and the fear kicked in.

“Just don’t expect me to start calling Prosecutor Von Karma ‘Aunt’, because it’s not gonna happen.” Apollo grumbled.

His companion laughed. “I think Trucy’s the only one who can get away with that.” She had yet to meet the Chief Prosecutor’s sister in court, but had heard the horror stories from Phoenix. “Isn’t she the reason he banned whips from the agency?”

“That she is.” Apollo grimaced. “And for a good reason.”

Simon’s office was close, and they were greeted at the door by Taka, who was cleaning his feathers on a perch just inside. He stopped once he saw the two, flying over to perch on Apollo’s shoulder.

_Better than my head at least._ He made a mental note to make sure he still had hair gel at the office as Taka began messing with his hair. “I know, you want it down, but too bad.” He frowned. “It’s my hair, not yours.”

“Athena, Justice-dono.” Blackquill greeted them from his desk.

“What have we told you about that, drop it.” Apollo sighed. “Just Justice or whatever else.” _Anything but_ Herr Forehead _please!_

Athena skipped over to the desk, setting the files down in an empty corner. “Congratulations Simon! You’re the proud guardian of some of the Chief Prosecutor’s files until he comes back!”

“Is he not back yet? He left two hours ago…” Blackquill looked up from his own paperwork.

“He’s gone, Sebastian’s gone, and Klavier got Ema mad again. So it was either bring them here, or leave them with a Payne.” Athena explained.

“Pain in the ass!” Widget said before Athena could cover the AI.

“Got that right.” Apollo muttered, absentmindedly bringing one hand up to pet Taka. The hawk was much more likeable when he wasn’t trying to scratch Apollo’s eyes out.

The short visit turned even longer as Athena sat them both down to talk with Simon. Apollo didn’t really mind though. It gave him a chance to practice more magic, turning a few scrap pieces of paper into different animals and watching as Taka would stalk some, and grow confused at others.

He even managed to get a laugh from Simon when he transformed a few papers into a hawk that looked almost exactly like Taka. The bird’s feathers were ruffled at that, taking offense to being compared to some silly paper.

“Watch out Simon, if you’re not careful we may just turn your sword into a cat if you use it in court.” Athena teased.

“Who’s ‘we’?” Apollo asked, getting the paper hawk to fly around. Taka had grown used to it and didn’t seem to mind sharing the air. He looked to be enjoying himself, finally having a friend to fly with. Apollo wondered if there was a way to keep it like that.

It would give him a good way to distract Taka in court. Perhaps…

“Please work…” He whispered, concentrating on the paper hawk. Trucy had explained the magic to him once. Apollo hadn’t been listening as well as he should have been, since she decided to tell him at a crime scene. But he did remember her saying something about directing it.

So he tried. The bracelet on his arm contracted for a second before shivering. He found it reacting to his magic more often, ever since he summoned it from his apartment while at Edgeworth’s. Trucy had smiled at that information.

“Of course it will!” She nodded while explaining. “Like the symbol on my cape! Daddy- my first one- his symbol did the same. It’s a way to tell us when our magic is trying to act on its own.”

_Please magic…just let me do this one thing?_ He focused, realizing that Simon and Athena were watching him. Apollo tuned them out, keeping his eyes on the hawk and Taka. He studied how Taka moved in the air, every little detail in his wings, his head movements, the way his feathers seemed to shiver as the air passed over them.

Apollo wanted every detail to be right. He slowly began to twist the details into magic, guiding it into the paper. He was almost finished…

When the door opened, the sudden sound snapped his concentration. _Oh no!_ He tried to reel in the magic as the two hawks flew over the person in the door way.

“Oh shit!” Athena slapped her hands over Widget as Simon stared wide-eyed at the person.

“What on earth?”

Edgeworth stood in the doorway, looking at the two hawks that had taken to circling around him. “You’re getting better Apollo.” He commented, looking at the three lawyers in the room. “What’s wrong?”

“Um…Mr. Edgeworth…” Athena tightened her grip on Widget. Simon quickly turned his attention back to the work on his desk, pretending to busy himself as Taka and the paper perched on his shoulders.

Apollo paled. That was not how things were supposed to go. “I’m sorry!” He blurted out, making the others cover their ears. “I don’t know what happened, I was just trying to make the hawk stay for a bit longer.”

Edgeworth frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Athena reached hesitantly into her bag, pulling out a compact mirror and passing it to the Chief Prosecutor. “You might want to see for yourself…”

Edgeworth opened the mirror, looking into it and freezing.

Shrinking back in his chair, Apollo wished he had paid more attention when Trucy was talking about vanishing acts. Maybe he could get himself back to the Agency. Or Japan, that was even further away. Or maybe to the sun, where he could suffer in peace.

“Apollo.” The prosecutor didn’t sound angry. He actually seemed impressed, behind the embarrassment. “You…do know how to revert this, correct?”

“N-not yet…” He admitted. “Sorry papa…” Athena couldn’t help the small giggle at that, and Apollo glared at her.

“What? You called him papa again.” Athena was outright laughing. “And you gotta admit Mr. Edgeworth, pink is _so_ your color.”

Nevermind the vanishing into the sun act, Apollo wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

He had turned the _Chief Prosecutor’s_ hair _pink._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really on the fence about the Apollo ship I want here, besides the past, angsty Claypollo. I love Klapollo…but Simollo has been the pairing I look up most recently and I really like it… I might do one of those, or maybe have an OT3 thing going on. Or keep it as a “friends who cuddle and kiss sometimes” thing for them. I’m not sure yet.  
> The main focus of this story though is just Apollo getting a feel for magic and getting in trouble along the way. (And thank my wifey Mel for the idea of Miles with pink hair. That was all her idea.) So really the only romance to be found here in this one will be Wrightworth, maybe hinting at Athena having a significant other. (Who will either be Juniper or Simon depending on what route I take Apollo on)  
> One last thing, I have finally decided exactly what I’m doing with AA6, which is ignoring it plot-wise FOR THE MOST PART. There are two characters that’ll appear later, and by later I mean WAY later. I have a lot planned for this series. I’m sure it’ll stretch past September. But for those of you who know who/what I’m talking about, expect the chapters with them by October at the earliest.   
> ONE MORE LAST THING: It was only slight in the first chapter, but I am counting PLvAA as canon. HOWEVER, where it fits into the timeline has changed drastically. Mainly because I had Luke still at 12-13 during the first chapter, when he should probably be around 20 if I kept it where I usually see people having it at (Which is before Trials and Tribulations and before Unwound Future I believe). And it will be talked over in a later chapter, but I’m putting it within the 7 year gap for Phoenix (I ‘m thinking about middle of year 6 maybe), and between Azran Legacy and Curious Village for the Professor. Azran Legacy is going to have a somewhat huge part in this, AND I’M IGNORING THE END OF UNWOUND FUTURE. The very end of it, where Luke leaves. He didn’t leave. I hated that part. Let’s just say he tried to leave but Descole kidnapped him and dropped him back in London yeah?  
> …So I just thought of something…the way I usually have the Professor Layton timeline, is about 8 months to a year between Diabolical Box and Unwound Future. And Luke’s at least 13 in UF… well then GUESS WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN THIS SERIES.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH GOD I AM SO SORRY FOR HOW LATE THIS IS. Apollo didn't want to cooperate with the character I introduced here, but I'm hoping his arrival in this chapter can soften the late factor for some of you?
> 
> Thank you so much for at least giving this fic a chance, even if you found it to not be to your liking! And thank you so much for the kudos and comments! Keep the comments coming, tell me something you might wanna see in the future (IF IT’S AA6 RELATED, TELL ME EITHER THROUGH ASKS ON TUMBLR (My tumblr is AcePuzzler-Sorrelfire) OR PM ON FANFICTION (name there is PhoenixstarKina) PLEASE DON’T PUT IT IN A COMMENT. I’LL ALLOW SPOILERS IN COMMENTS AROUND LATE DECEMBER/EARLY JANUARY. BUT FOR NOW, THIS FIC IS SPOILER FREE AND I WANT COMMENTS TO BE TOO.  
> Unless it’s little tiny things that should be common knowledge now like Maya’s outfit or the fact that Phoenix is still a huge dork, which we know thanks to promotional videos. There’s...I think only 1 spoiler, that will appear within the next 4 to 5 chapters, but I will mark that chapter heavily. IN HUGE CAPS AT THE BEGINNING I PROMISE YOU
> 
> BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I GOTTA THANK SILVERHEARTLUGIA2000 (Love the name by the way) FOR THE WONDERFUL IDEA THAT COMES IN THIS CHAPTER.
> 
> I'm hoping to have a pairing for Apollo chosen soon, but I'm open to suggestions! The ones I'm thinking of are Klapollo, Simollo, or Klavier/Apollo/Simon.

He was dead.

He was _so_ dead.

“You what?” The amusement in Klavier’s voice didn’t help matters. Apollo had dashed away the second an opening was made, finding himself in the Rockstar’s office and grateful that Ema seemed finished with her punishment for him.

“I turned Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth’s hair _pink_.” Apollo whispered.

“I’m honestly surprised your voice can go that soft, Herr Forehead.” Klavier teased before laughing. “Pink. Well at least he won’t be mistaken for a sixty-year-old now, ja?”

Apollo looked at Klavier. “Make that joke in front of him, go ahead. It’s your job on the line.” He sighed miserably. “I probably lost mine by now.”

“What makes you say that?” Klavier _finally_ looked up from the guitar he was tuning. Apollo glared at it like he was trying to make it disappear. But he was in enough trouble for one day.

“Hello? Chief Prosecutor? My boss’ husband? Pink hair?”

“Your boss, who is Phoenix Wright, who laughed when Herr Edgeworth tripped down the stairs at the courthouse.” Klavier pointed out in the same tone Apollo had used. “Pink hair? He will laugh until he wets himself probably.” The blonde waved his free hand. “You’re worried over nothing.”

“I knew magic was a bad idea…” Apollo groaned. Klavier’s words did comfort him, but the fact still stood. Edgeworth’s hair was pink. And Apollo had no idea how he did it, or how to fix it.

Last he had heard, Athena called up Trucy to try and fix things. In the meantime, Edgeworth was staying in Blackquill’s office. Taka had found the new color fascinating, and hadn’t left the older prosecutor alone for a second.

Apollo buried his head in his hands. The magic he had tried was something not even Trucy had mastered yet. What was he thinking? He should have just left it alone, held the paper hawk for as long as he could and then just recreate it in the courtroom instead of charming that one to stay indefinitely.

He didn’t move even as Klavier’s office phone rang. The rockstar picked it up. “Hallo? Ja, he is here.” Klavier pressed the phone to his shoulder. “Herr Forehead, it is Herr Wright.”

“I’m not here!”

“You are and you’re a diva.” Klavier rolled his eyes.

“Takes one to know one, fop.”

The blond put the phone back up to his ear. “Your son is here, ja…. Nein he is uninjured. Hiding from Herr Edgeworth. Ja….ja. I can. To the agency?” He chuckled. “Herr Edgeworth is already there?”

Apollo looked up from his hands. Edgeworth went to the agency? He went outside with the magic disaster caused by Apollo still apparent?

“I can bring him there. Someone who might be able to help?” Klavier looked confused, sharing a glance with Apollo. ‘Who?’ He mouthed.

Apollo shrugged. “Truce and I are the only magicians I know.” He whispered back. Had Phoenix tracked down Valant? Or…their mother?

“We will be there soon.” Klavier promised before hanging up. “Are you certain?”

“Aside from Valant or mom, I can’t think of anyone else who might be able to help.” Apollo said. “It’s possible he found one of them, but if it was mom, I think he would’ve called me back sooner.”

Klavier hummed. “Perhaps he tried, but forgot you are currently lacking a cell?”

“He wouldn’t forget that.” The defense attorney sighed. “He checks the order he and Edgeworth made for my new one almost religiously. I’m a bit scared to be honest, last time he checked with me in the room, it was in Vancouver.”

“Canada?” Klavier raised an eyebrow. “Mein Gott, they ordered one from Germany then.”

Apollo groaned, resisting the urge to hit his head on the desk. “I don’t _want_ to know how much that costs…”

“Around nine hundred euros, actually.”

Apollo glared. “Did I not just say I _don’t_ want to know?”

Klavier smiled brightly. “Ah, but Herr Forehead, it’s not much.”

“It’s three paychecks, and that’s if we actually have a case!” He bristled.

Grabbing the keys to his car, Klavier chuckled. “You mean Vater is still allowing Herr Wright to do your and Fraulein Athena’s paychecks?”

Before Apollo could continue their argument, Klavier pulled him up by his arm to stand. “It matters not, let’s go see who is there to fix everything.”

Apollo was just grateful it was an actual _car_ , and not the hog. Seeing what car it was though, his eyes light up.

“Klavier, you _dork._ ” Apollo hid a grin behind his free hand, as Klavier still had a grip on his other wrist, as he looked at the bright yellow Camaro with black racing stripes. “Bumblebee? Really? How old is this, 2016?”

“Like it?” Klavier asked with a grin. “It was a bribe from mein bruder, to try and get me to become a defense attorney instead.”

At the mention of Kristoph, they both fell silent. He was a topic they danced around most times, and one they never brought up around anyone else. It was hard for them, seeing their mentor- in Apollo’s case- or brother- in Klavier’s- turn into such a monster.

If they were truthful, they knew it would happen though. There were small things he had done that gave it away, once the larger pieces of evidence were brought to light. But they stayed silent. Whether out of some cruel, twisted loyalty to Kristoph or to each other, they couldn’t tell.

It had them teetering on the edge of destruction at the best of times when they would think on it together, a ticking time bomb that could take them both down. They had enough ammo on him, on each other, to ensure destruction. But no words to describe what that ammo was, or why they stayed silent. Five languages between them, and not a single one to describe what kept them silent.

_Magic._ Apollo thought, watching as Klavier unlocked the doors. _Like it’s choking us whenever we think on it._ He climbed into the car, barely getting the seatbelt on before Klavier was driving off.

There was time later to think on their danger. In that moment, Apollo was grateful for the silence. He could go back to thinking on the matter at hand, not one that had seemingly passed so long ago.

 

* * *

 

 

The closer they got to the Agency, the worse Apollo felt. And it wasn’t caused by the matter at hand. Something inside the Agency was setting him on edge, or rather, some _one_ was.

Someone new was in the building, and whoever it was had his bracelet trembling on his wrist before he could even see them. They were _dangerous_. He found himself grabbing Klavier’s arm as he cut the engine once they parked.

“Wait.” Klavier looked warily at Apollo. It wasn’t the first time the defense attorney had him pause before going inside someplace.

He trusted Apollo’s judgment. Their entire friendship was just that, trust. They unbuckled slowly, getting out even slower. Apollo saw Klavier reach for his side, grimacing when his hand met nothing but air.

_When did he begin that habit?_ Apollo wondered. It was something he only saw in detectives, when they would reach for a gun. Given what had happened over the past few years however, he wouldn’t be surprised if Edgeworth authorized some of the prosecutors to carry.

They walked, side by side, up to the door. Neither tried to stand in front of the other, nor cower behind. If something were to happen, they would face it together, equally. Apollo was the one to reach for the door, the sight inside not what they were expecting.

“Well, I can’t say I’ve ever seen this happen…Ascot was into pranking, but he never did something quite like this.”

“Professor?” Klavier blurted out, relaxing instantly. Apollo though, tensed further as red eyes drifted over him and the prosecutor.

“Mr. Gavin?” The man seemed just as surprised to see Klavier. “I was not expecting to see you.”

“Someone had to drive Herr Forehead over.” Klavier grinned. “Justice, it’s fine. This is Professor Sycamore; he was the best history teacher at Themis!”

Edgeworth looked over to Klavier and Apollo. “Ah, so that is how you two know each other.” He nodded. “I asked the professor here if he couldn’t help us with this…situation.”

“Only after I said to ask him.” Phoenix pointed out. “I was going to call Layton.”

Apollo watched the newcomer tense at the name, focusing on how his shoulder twitched. _Almost like Klavier reaching for his side._ He noted.

“I was in the nearby area. There isn’t much the Professor could do all the way from London, especially with the time difference.” Sycamore recovered quickly.

Not quick enough, if Athena’s reaction was anything to go by. Apollo watched her playing with the Mood Matrix from her spot on the couch. He had been right, something about Sycamore was off. Even Blackquill could tell, if his stance behind Athena was anything to go by. He seemed relaxed, but Apollo could see he was wary and ready to protect Athena.

Phoenix simply laughed though, as if he was unaware of their situation. “Yeah, guess that does make things hard.”

“You said he was your history teacher?” Apollo leaned closer to Klavier.

“Ja.” Klavier nodded. “Everyone’s favorite history teacher.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Sycamore smiled. “I’m sure many would disagree with you.”

Klavier shook his head. “Nein! Sebastian would agree. He loved everything you taught us about Ambrosia and their lost kingdom! And I still remember the Song of the Sea!”

_There!_ Apollo focused. At the mention of Ambrosia, and again at the mention of the song, Sycamore’s hand twitched towards his side. It was his shoulder at the mention of the other professor, were the three connected in some way?

“Of course you would remember that, rockstar prosecutor.” Sycamore smiled as if the tic hadn’t happened. “However, I am not here as a teacher today. Prosecutor Edgeworth asked for my help in fixing a magical mishap.”

Apollo looked to the ground sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to.” He said. “I was trying to keep a paper hawk animated without me having to focus on it the entire time.”

Sycamore chuckled. “A simple misdirection of magic then. You must be very powerful to do something like this though, or to even attempt to bring a paper hawk to life!”

“I’m not as strong as Trucy.” Apollo admitted.

“My kids are both powerful with their magic.” Phoenix said proudly.

_I’m not your kid Mr. Wright…_ Apollo thought. “So how can it be fixed?”

“Try thinking of bringing his hair back to its original color.”

_I don’t think it’ll be that easy._ Apollo hadn’t tried that yet, however. It seemed far too simple. “Where’s Trucy at? I thought Athena called her to fix this?”

“She’s looking through a few of her books.” Phoenix waved to his office. “But everyone’s stumped.”

“I’ll try changing it back.” Apollo turned towards Edgeworth, looking at his hair before closing his eyes. _How hard can it be really? Maybe I’m stressing over nothing…_

With his eyes shut, his bracelet loosened around his wrist again. It made him all too aware how much that power relied on his sight. If he lost his eyesight… The thought was shoved away. He needed to concentrate.

It wasn’t easy with everyone talking around him. He heard Klavier to his left, still excited over seeing his old history teacher. Sycamore and Phoenix were over to his right, caught in their own conversation.

Athena and Blackquill were still at the sofa. Apollo didn’t need to see to know they were still in the same positions they had been in when he walked in. They weren’t as distracting as the others, but he could tell they were there.

_It’s the magic._ He realized. Of course, his sister had lived in the Agency for seven years, and Maya and Pearl had been in the rooms plenty of times. There was magical build up everywhere, he was sure everyone else could feel it too. It made the mental image as clear as if his eyes were open. It tinted everything in a neutral blue color, close to the color of Trucy’s cape.

The magic twisted around Klavier like it didn’t know how to handle him. _I feel the same way._ He thought. But where it did touch the blond, it took on a light purple glow. Apollo didn’t need to turn his head to see that, it was a loud color. Blackquill’s was much more subdued. A dark blue.

Athena was a vibrant yellow on her own. Where the built-up magic twined with her color, was a beautiful green. She wasn’t a threat, but she had a sort of magic all her own. _She can hear others’ hearts as clear as I can see nervous tics._

Around himself the magic was welcoming. His magic reaching out to play with his sister’s, red and blue dancing playfully. It was softer around Edgeworth, the blue touching the other man, though there was no reaction from him like there was from Athena or Apollo. The only reaction was the small amount of Apollo’s magic that was there.

_Maybe if I can call it back?_ He tried thinking on that, coaxing his magic to come back.

It almost worked, a softer blue color coming to help him. He recognized that magic. The spiritual tinge to it, it was Phoenix’s. _You knew how to do this?_ Apollo felt a twinge of annoyance. If Phoenix knew how to fix it, why go through all this trouble?

_Or are you just going along with what I’m trying?_ Apollo wondered.

It didn’t matter as something made the process stop. There was something… _evil_. He was picking up on it, and it made him open his eyes.

The dark red color, the color of blood that made Apollo shiver and felt like-

It felt _dangerous_ , it felt _wrong_. It felt like Kristoph.

It was tinged black around the edge and that felt even worse. It was bad, terrible, it felt like death.

“Apollo, calm down.” Phoenix was closer to him, trying to coax him down.

Apollo wasn’t sure how to. Not as he made the connection of who had that terrible color.

He reacted without thinking, magic lashing out.

Klavier yelped, leaping back. “ _Was war das?!_ ” He asked.

“Apollo! Stop!” Athena leaped to her feet

“ ** _Please calm down!_** ” Widget cried.

“Apollo!” The young lawyer’s magic twisted, ready to attack Sycamore.

Phoenix was in its way.

“Phoenix!” Edgeworth was at his husband’s side, but it was hard to tell what happened.

“Everyone _stop_!”

Trucy’s voice made everyone freeze. Apollo was on the verge of panic.

He had done it again. His magic had just reacted and-

“Polly, it’s ok.” Trucy clapped her fingers together once, and Miles’ hair was back to normal.

Apollo was more focused on the warmth that twined around him. Trucy’s magic, not what had built into the Agency, but straight from her. It calmed him down, calling all his magic back.

Except for what had hit Phoenix.

“Daddy?” Trucy approached Edgeworth. “Papa, is he ok?”

Edgeworth had his arms wrapped around something. “I…I’m not sure how to answer that.”

Fear froze Apollo. _Oh God…what did I do?_ He thought in horror.

“I’m not entirely sure how to fix _that._ ” Sycamore commented, looking at Edgeworth.

Edgeworth stood up and, were those _feathers_?

“I don’t know how this is possible.” Edgeworth sounded amazed and worried at the same time. “But I believe Apollo…has done something illogical and impossible.”

Phoenix blinked his eyes open and looked up at his husband. He tried to speak, only a trill coming out, followed by an undignified squak as he struggled.

“Uhh…Polly. I know our boss is named Phoenix, but…aren’t real ones, I don’t know, just fantasy?”

Apollo paled as he looked at his boss.

First Edgeworth’s hair turned pink. And now.

“I turned Mr. Wright into a phoenix…”

“Ooo! Polly how’d you do that? I can never get transformations like that right!” Trucy seemed excited about things. She reached up, petting Phoenix on his head. “And daddy’s such a pretty phoenix too!”

The black-feathered bird seemed confused, but settled in Edgeworth’s arms.

“Why does this always happen?” Apollo groaned.

“I’m swearing off magic. I can’t do this.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a wild Desmond Sycamore appeared! But with good reason I assure you. Let’s just say that shit’s gonna hit the fan in a later installment of the series (Note: Not this story, but possibly the next one) It’ll be hinted at a LOT in here, so keep an eye out for it!   
> Of course, our favorite German prosecutors (all three! Plus Sebastian, because he was in the same class a Klavier I believe?) would know Professor Sycamore. The Agency gets one brother; the Prosecutor’s Office gets the other. Hmm… let’s hope this goes over better than the last time they had a split like that.  
> I decided to add him in early to the story though, so I could move at least one plot along at a steady pace. Don’t worry, the plot he’s in leads right back into the main plot, I promise. And the story of him being Klavier and Sebastian’s history teacher, it gives him a good cover for the time before the games. I’m sure he had to build a good reputation as Sycamore, so where better to than at a legal school? And Sycamore seems like the type who would share at least the Song of the Sea with his students, even if Descole wouldn’t ever dream of sharing it.  
> Luke’s gonna be making an appearance really soon (Like a few chapters soon. I got a plan for him and Trucy!) Let’s see how Apollo fares with a different sort of magic in the courtroom.  
> Also, Klavier's a huge nerd. No one can take that from me. And for those of you who like Transformers, have you SEEN Bee's new alt mode for The Last Knight? I want it. I really want it.


End file.
